Police are hunting former Manchester United star Keith Gillespie after he failed to turn up in court yesterday.

The 39-year-old, who also played for Newcastle, had been due to appear charged with breaching a non-molestation order on January 21.

But when he did not show up, District Judge Mark Hamill issued a warrant for his arrest.

There was “no response” when Gillespie was called at Newtownards Magistrates Court in Co Down.

A police officer told Judge Hamill he believed he could connect the former winger to the offence of being “in the vicinity of the Hamilton Road” area of Newtownards, near Belfast. But because he failed to show up, the judge said Gillespie had breached his bail and ordered cops to arrest him.

Keith Gillespie (Photo: Getty)

Gillespie, from Ballycrochan Avenue in Bangor, Co Down, revealed last year in his autobiography How Not To Be A Football Millionaire how he blew a €7million fortune.

But he is still a hero among many soccer fans after a glittering career that spanned almost two decades.

Gillespie was signed by Man United as a youngster in 1991 and played for the Red Devils until he was sold to Newcastle in 1995 – where he came close to winning the Premiership title under Kevin Keegan.

Following his spell there, Gillespie turned out for Leicester City, Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield United and Bradford before making a shock move to East Belfast club Glentoran in 2009.He also earned 86 caps for Northern Ireland after making his international debut in September 1994 in a 2-1 defeat against Portugal.

And 17 years after he first lined out at Old Trafford, Gillespie finally hung up his boots in 2008 – having played a star role in Northern Ireland’s famous 3-2 win over World and European Champions Spain two years earlier.